The Heartbreaking Truth
by Jane H.A.S. Doe
Summary: While waiting for Renji in the park, Rukia discovers an undeniable truth and it breaks her heart. [IchiHime]
1. The Truth

**Heartbreaker**

_By: Jane H.A.S. Doe_

**A/N**: - Remember kids: the world is a cruel place. Kubo Tite is cruel for not letting me own Bleach. You're cruel for making me admit it. I don't own Bleach,

-Don't flame, please.

Rukia sat at the fountain, waiting impatiently. Where was he?

_Renji really shouldn't say he's going to meet someone if he's not going to,_ Rukia thought bitterly. She scuffed her foot against the pavement. She sighed and turned back towards the water fountain. She stooped down to get a drink.

_Maybe I should call him. Something might have come up. Nah. He'd call me if something came up. He's just late. As always._ She closed her eyes and sighed again before continuing to drink.

_I really need to go home. Iwant to talk Ichigo._ Rukia smiled at the mention of his name. _Ichigo_. He had only recently said she could call him that. All his other friends didn't think anything of it: friends should be able to call other friends by their first name. But Rukia knew there was something more. I mean, there had to be. They've been living together for who knows how long.

The truth was, she loved him.

She had always loved him.

But she knew he didn't love her.

That was until he said she call him Ichigo.

_Ichigo..._ With that name came a glimmer of hope.

She stopped mid-slurp when she heard a giggle. She opened her eyes wide when after the giggle she heard , "Oh, Kurosaki-kun!"

_Kurosaki-kun?_ Rukia lower lip trembled. _It's probably another Kurosaki-kun. It's probably a very common name. But, just to make sure..._

She walked cautiously in the direction that she heard the noise. _You know what?_ She thought. _Maybe I really don't need to know. What if it isn't Ichigo? I shouldn't be invading two complete strangers privacy._ She turned back to walk to the fountain to wait for Renji.

"Please, call me Ichigo." Rukia stopped again.

"I-I-Ichigo?" Rukia murmured. How many Kurosaki Ichigos can there be? And if that was _her _Ichigo, who was he talking to? Ichigo was usually so strict about people forgetting his title.

With determination, she marched towards a group of trees, from which she heard the voices. She peered from behind one especially large tree. She covered her mouth has she gasped. Ichigo and Orihime were _kissing_.

She drew away from the tree. I saw way to much. Way, way too much. She covered her ears as if to drown out the voice in her head saying, _"Ichigo doesn't like you! Ichigo doesn't like you! Ichigo doesn't like yooooouuuuu!"_ She was about to scream, "Shuddup!" to herself but stopped herself. _No…I have to be quiet…I can't let them know I saw them. I can't let anyone know I saw them._ So Rukia stood there quietly, her back to them, crying quiet tears, thinking quiet, sad thoughts.

_Where did I go wrong? I thought that...we were...No. Obviously not. God...how could I have been so stupid._ She wiped away the tears that were falling down her cheeks. This couldn't be happening. None this was happening. It just _couldn't_ be happening. Here she was, impatiently waiting for Renji so that she could hurry up, talk to Renji, go home, and talk to Ichigo. Here she was finding out that Ichigo, the person she had loved and wanted to hurry to get home see, didn't love her back. It had to be a dream. It just had to_! I just need to wake up_, Rukia thought._ I just need to wake up…_

So she tried to wake up. She bit her thumb until it almost bled. She pinched herself so hard that her arm felt numb. She tugged on her ear. _Wake up, wake up! _She sighed and stopped tugging on her ear. She felt her eyes well up with angry tears. Real tears, not dream ones. She looked around to see if Renji was coming.

_You know what…I don't care anymore. Let Renji be late. I won't be here when he comes_. She groaned a little as she wiped her face._ I just can't take this... I'm going home._

She ran away sobbing, knowing that she will never wake from this nightmare.

.:End:.

Random Fact: To tell you the truth, Kurosaki isn't that common a name. I'd say it wasn't even in the top 500 hundred of the most common names. Seriously.

And, I know. It's _still_ pretty short. But remember. I have a bunch of different ideas for the ending so I'm going to put them all in different chapters. It will be a lot longer with the endings added on to it. I promise.

Also...review and tell me how to make this part better. Constructive criticism, ideas and praise are welcome.

_I'm sorry if it's bad_

_If you like it I'm glad_


	2. Sitting in a Tree

**Alternate Ending #1: Sitting in a Tree...**

_By :Jane H.A.S. Doe_

I don't own Bleach, okay?

Also, this only one of the few endings I got stewing in my head.

Renji watched as Rukia left the park, absolutely bawling. He jumped down from the tree, thinking about what he'd just done.

_She was crying. _Renji thought utterly amazed. _She positively howling._ _That's not like her._ It was just a little joke. Everyone else in the world knew that Ichigo and Orihime were going out. It was time for her to know.

Renji scratched his head. He had been trying to remember what he had wanted to see Rukia about. Whatever it was made Renji chicken out at the last minute. Since he saw Rukia coming, he had jumped into the nearest tree as quietly and quickly as he could.

He had watched as Rukia waited impatiently for him. He had watched as Rukia heard noises behind the trees.

He had known that it was Orihime and Ichigo back there. Truth be told, he'd been trying his hardest not to look at them. He had seen Rukia coming towards them about to see something that would break her heart. Why hadn't he stopped her? He could've easily jumped out of the tree. He could have easily made up some lame excuse as to why he was in the tree. He could've easily lead Rukia to safety.

But he didn't.

Because then Rukia would continue loving Ichigo. Because then Rukia would still be oblivious to the fact that she was in a one-sided relationship, a relationship that was doomed from the start.

Because then Rukia would be blind to any and all other suitors who actually cared for her.

Renji began walking towards the gate to the park.

He remembered what he wanted to tell Rukia.

He wanted to tell her he loved her.

But he didn't. Instead, in a sly way, he tricked her. It was kinda his fault that Ichigo broke her heart.

Renji stood by the gate, wondering if he had made the right choice.

.:End:.

I'm going to college in like two weeks. Yeah, I know what you're thinking: Aww, too bad. .:_sighs_:. But at least I got to right one story before I'm bombarded with schoolwork, right?

Also, if you didn't like this ending, there will be more. Trust me.


	3. Waterworks

**Alternate Ending #2: Waterworks**

Renji was walking towards the park. Actually...he was running. He was late. Very late. "So-late-that-Rukia-would-probably-kill-him-for-taking-so-long" late.

But it wasn't his fault that he got lost. It was Uruhara's fault for giving him faulty directions.

_Why couldn't he just tell me he didn't know like a normal person would have, for crying out loud, _Renji thought as he turned a corner.

Suddenly, he ran into someone. He groaned as he fell and landed on his side. He got up quickly. He gasped as he saw who he hit.

"Rukia!" Renji knelt down beside her to see if she was hurt. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine..."

There was something wrong with her voice, Renji knew. It was soft and sounded sad. And, Renji noted, Rukia seemed not to want to make eye contact. She was overly concerned with retying her shoe. _What was up?_

Renji sat there and waited while she finished tying her shoe, which she seemed to be doing extra slowly. Renji grabbed her shoe impatiently and tied it himself. She had no choice but to look at him.

And that's when he noticed she was crying.

She wasn't crying loudly. But still, she _was_ crying.

"What's wrong? Are you bleeding? Did you scrape your knee? Are you hurt?". But Rukia just shook her head.

Renji frowned. _Is she going to tell me or what?_

"I-I-Ichigo..." Rukia whispered before she put her head to her knees and began sobbing.

Renji was confused. _Ichigo? Was that it? She's crying because she's mad at Ichigo? There's gotta be more to it then that._

"What'd Ichigo do?" Renji waited until Rukia's breathing became normal.

"Orihime...Ichigo and Orihime..."

_Orihime? Is she mad at both of them or something?_

Then something clicked.

_She saw Orihime and Ichigo together. Which means she must have liked Ichigo._

Renji was proud that he figured it out. But then his jaw dropped. _Rukia liked Ichigo?_He couldn't believe it.

But there Rukia was, bawling her eyes out over Ichigo.

"Doushite...doushite Orihime karesuki desu ka?" Rukia whispered, on the verge of crying.

He grabbed Rukia and pulled her head to his shoulder. She took it as a sign and began crying. Loudly.

"Look...this is not as bad as it seems." Rukia stopped cryingas loud so she could hear what Renji had to say.

"Now, you can move on with your life. I mean, you can study for school or join the swim team or something. You don't have to let Ichigo pull you down. While you're over here being all sad, what's he doin'? Being happy, that's what." Renji paused to let what he said sink in.

"There are lots of other boys out there that do like you. There are a whole lot of other fish in the sea, y'know." Rukia cries were getting quieter and quieter until they stopped altogether. Renji lifted her head off his shoulder.

"Do you feel better now?" Rukia sniffed and nodded.

Renji smiled. "Good." Rukia smiled too and gave Renji a hug.

"Arigatou, Renji." Rukia said while still hugging him. "Your the best friend _ever_." Rukia didn't notice that the hug had become one-sided.

_Friends. _Renji sighed inwardly. _That's right. I almost forgot. We're just friends..._

.:End:.

Random Fact: -"Doushite Orihime karesuki desu ka?" means"Why does he like Orihime?

Review Please!


	4. Dearest Ichigo

Wow! I haven't updated this story since August. Well, I'm updating now so enjoy!

**Alternate Ending #3: Dearest Ichigo...**

_**Dearest Ichigo,**_

_By the time you read this letter, I'll be long gone. I'm not going to Soul Society—not Seireitei or any of the 320 districts of Rukongai. I'm not going to Urahara's shop. I'm going somewhere where you would never find me, where no one can find me._

_Ha...as if you care._

_I know about you and Inoue. I saw you guys, actually. I was waiting for Renji and I heard people talking. And when I got there... I don't want to go into the details. The thought of the event ever occurring makes me cry. It's just too gruesome. No...gruesome isn't the right word. Horrific? Terrible? Dismal? Dreadful? Sad?_

_Depressing. Yeah, that's the right word. Depressing._

_You hurt my heart, Ichigo. You ripped it out and split it in two and stepped on it and laughed in my face. For two whole hours after that incident in the park, I waited for you. I thought maybe you'd come into the room with my heart all fixed up on a silver platter and a red rose by its side._

_But my heart can't be mended. At least not here._

_I'm not mad, Ichigo. You remember that. No matter how foolish or stupid it seems, I still love you, even after Inoue. I will always love you, no matter what, but there is nothing I can do that will make you love me back._

_I've come to learn that I can't stay. I can't just blank this out and continue to be your friend. I'm not strong. my love for you has made me weak, so weak, and I can't this anymore._

_I hope you and Inoue have a nice life. I hope you're successful and that you guys stay happy and safe. I hope you two stay together forevrer. "Til death do we part," and all, huh, Ichigo? And if Inouedoesn't work out for you, hey, there are other fish in the sea. Keep on catching 'em, kid, and maybe you'll catch one who loves you as much as I do. Dive into that deep ocean, catch all those fish._

_Just not me._

_But I'm okay with it. Really. Sure, I do hope that one day, you look at Inoue, and instead you see my face. I hope that you'll look back and see all the care I showed for you, and you'll really miss me. You'll really wish that it was me behind that tree park, not Inoue._

_So be happy, Ichigo, be safe. Wherever I may go, whatever I may do, I will always remember, miss, and care for you._

_I love you, Ichigo. No kiss in the park can change it. But I have to go. I will never regret leaving, even if I feel physical pain every day I'm not near you._

_I love you._

_It's heartbreaking. It's pitiful. It's painful. But it's the truth._

_Signed,_

_RUKIA_

_Who You Shall Never See Again_

_

* * *

_

Rukia's original note was only like a paragraph long. I didn't want it to be too short so I beefed it up with a lot of useless stuff. I must have said "I love you" about ten times...  
This sounds rather sad and depressing. It sounds a bit like a suicide note, so, just to clarify, _Rukia did not kill herself. She just ran away_.  
Anyway, part of the credit goes to my sister for helping me out when I got stuck.


	5. Predictabilty

_**Author's Note:** I wrote this at like 11 pm, but I decided to post it in the morning. yawn I'm still sleepy._

**Alternate Ending #4: Predictability**

Rukia huddled in the closet. She had stopped crying ages ago, but her eyes were still puffy and red. And she was still sad. Oh so very sad.

There was minimal light entering the closet through a small crack, so it was very dark. Rukia didn't usually go into the closet unless she was dressing or sleeping. But, today was different. Today, she had her heart broken, and she had no intention of seeing the person who had done it.

She cuddled the inanimate lion plushie and tried to stop thinking about Ichigo. She had taken the green pill that was Kon out a long time ago. She was not in the mood to hear Kon's whining.

But she _was_ in the mood for some therapy. Too bad there was none in the vincity.

"I'm home." Ichigo said, more or less to himself.

Rukia snapped to attention. Any second now, Ichigo was going to look for her in the closet. She crept to the darkest corner. She hid under her blankets and got as flat she could. She hid Kon under her pillow so that Ichigo might believe she took Kon and went somewhere.

Rukia couldn't see, but she could sort of tell what Ichigo was doing. _He's going to put his shoes at the foot of his bed. Now, he's going to plop on the bed, face down, and stay there for a couple of minutes. Now he's getting up and stretching and he's going to say—_

"Today was a rough one." Ichigo sighed as he stretched and rubbed his eyes.

_Finally, he's going to notice I'm not here._

"Rukia?" Ichigo called. "Are you here?" He knocked on the closet door.

_He's going to open the door when he does not get an answer. He won't see me. He won't look under the blankets._

Ichigo scratched his head. "Didn't Rukia say she wanted to meet me? And I thought _I_ was late."

Rukia grinned. Ichigo was one of the most predictable people she had ever known. Every time he came home from school, he did the exact same thing. His predictability was a weakness, but it also was a good trait to have. Bad for Ichigo. Good for Rukia.

Rukia crawled from under the blanket. It was really hot in the closet, and she didn't wish to get heat stroke.

_So now Ichigo's going to do his homework or listen to music or something._ Rukia didn't know what Ichigo did when she wasn't there because she wasn't there to witness it, obviously. But she knew what he did when he thought she was asleep, and Rukia figured his behavior was pretty much the same.

Ichigo turned on his radio. He rummaged in his desk drawer and pulled out his diary, I mean, journal.

He wrote in his journal not because he needed to express his feelings but because his life was so crazy and outlandish that he had to write everything down. He might be able to sell his life story to some producer and make a killing. He was thinking it could be a soap opera, filled with love triangles and people almost dying. That way, he wouldn't have to edit it too much.

He pulled a pen out of his breast pocket. He chewed on the tip, thinking. Then he clicked it on and began to write.

_Today was really uneventful. I learned nothing at school. Lunch was boring as well. Rukia said she had something important to tell me, but she couldn't tell me at school with so many people.  
__I went to the park with Inoue. We sat behind Inoue's favorite tree, the one where she drew a heart with my initials in it. We did our homework and Inoue—_

"_Pi, pi, pi_…" Rukia's cell phone beeped. Rukia swore silently. _Did he hear it?_ Rukia thought worriedly.

Rukia heard Ichigo drop his pen. His chair slid out and Rukia swore once more, only this time out loud. She didn't have to be quiet anymore; she was already found out.

"Rukia? You in there?"

_Stupid phone…you're the stupidest phone in the world…the universe even…_

"Rukia!" Ichigo exclaimed, after he opened the door.

Rukia blinked at the sudden light. She looked up to find Ichigo staring down at her. Concern was etched into his face, but anyone could have mistaken it for an angry scowl. The light shone on him in an odd way, so his face was dark and oh-so-very scary.

"I…" Rukia started, but she didn't find any way to finish it. Her cell phone rang again. Quickly, she slid the door back closed. She pressed the talk button.

"Hello?" Rukia said with a strained voice. She was holding the door closed with her foot.

"It's Renji. Where are ya?"

"Renji, now's not the best time."

"Rukia! Open up!" Ichigo banged on the door.

"What're you doing?" Renji asked.

"Well, I _was_ hiding from Ichigo. But that's gone up in smoke."

"You're playing hide-and-seek?" Renji asked, more angry than curious.

"Leave me alone, Ichigo!" Rukia wailed.

"Rukia! This is my closet!" Ichigo said as he tried to pry open the door.

"Something like that." Rukia found it very difficult to keep up two conversations at once. Rukia hung up the phone without even saying "bye".

"Rukia, why won't you let me in?"

Rukia struggled to keep the door closed. More than once, Ichigo had gotten the door open two inches or more before Rukia mustered enough strength to get it closed again.

_Slide…Sliiiiide, SLAM!…Sliiiiiide, SLAM!_ It was their annoying little soundtrack.

Ichigo suddenly stopped. It took Rukia awhile to realize that she was exerting unneeded force. She stopped and sighed in relief. She lay her head against the wall and rubbed her sore forearms.

The door opened again. This time, Ichigo held the door open. He sat at the edge of the closet despite Rukia's dissatisfaction.

"Ichigo, get out!" Rukia pushed Ichigo, first with her hands, and then when that didn't work, her feet.

"Why?"

"There's no room in here for two people!"

Ichigo thought about this. "You're right." Ichigo grabbed Rukia by her arms and pulled her out of the closet. He picked her up and dropped her on the bed. Twice, Rukia unsuccessfully tried to run away. Ichigo pinned her down on the bed.

"Rukia! Why are you acting this way?"

Rukia didn't answer him. But she did give the worst look imaginable: her let-me-go-or-I-will-kill-you-…-twice look. Ichigo slowly let go of her arms. She sat up on the bed and smoothed out her shirt.

"Rukia, answer me."

"I can't." Rukia looked down at her lap and tried to blink back tears. This is exactly why she didn't want to see Ichigo. Then, she'll be reminded of how horrible today went and she'll start crying.

Like she was doing now.

"Rukia, what did I do? Why are you crying?"

"I can't answer that."

"Why is that?"

"I know you, Ichigo. I know how you'd act. You're very predictable."

"Predictable? _I'm_ predictable?"

"That's what I said. All I need to do is analyze your actions for one day and I'll be able to deduct exactly what you'd do for the next three moon phas—"

"Oh, shut up, Rukia. Stop acting smart because you're not. Your grades reflect that. And as for me, I am _not_ predictable."

"I _knew_ you'd act this way! You're so _hot-headed_! Just say one little thing, and you GO OFF! It gets on my nerves, it gets on everyone's nerves. Ask Byakuya. Ask Renji."

"Hot-headed!"

"Out of all the things I say, you get that one detail? Just stop it, Ichigo!" Rukia said. She stood up on the bed, because it seemed that Ichigo didn't even _think_ about taking you seriously unless you were taller than he was. "Do I _look_ like I'm in the mood for a fight? And do you really think you can handle my answer?"

"Yes, I can. I'm strong enough."

"You wish!"

"As if you can talk, shrimp."

"Shut _up_! You don't know what you're asking for, but screw it, you disrespectful little strawberry! I'm in _love_ with you, Ichigo!"

Ichigo blinked. _Wait…what?_ _No...impossible! Rukia's my friend...my sister. During the storm last month, I held her and read to her and let her sleep in my bed. But, that's only because I never thought this would happen. Never ever! _

_This changes things so much. How can I answer her without hurting her feelings? Without regretting what I say? I have Inoue now but...oh, God, I'm so confused. _He stood there with his mouth hanging open as he stared up at Rukia.

Minutes went by…hours…days—okay, maybe not days, but they were staring at each other for a really long time.

"Yeah, that's right, Ichigo. That's exactly what I thought you'd say." Rukia jumped off the bed and pushed past Ichigo. She opened the window and crawled on to the windowsill.

"Rukia, wait…" Ichigo said jus before she was about to jump. She ignored him and lunged for the water spout four meters away. She slid down the long pipe and landed on the ground with the thud.

_You may sound depressed, Ichigo, but you so aren't. You'll lie down on your bed for an hour or so, thinking, "What the hell just happened?" Then, you'll wait up for me, because you know for a fact that I'm coming back. You'll fall asleep and wake up in the morning. You'll call my name and find that I'm not there. Renji'll call, saying I haven't been answering my phone. And that's when you realize…_

_I'm gone for real. And you'll probably never see me again. And you'll figure out the love you had for was _so_ not sisterly. The melting feeling that you get when save me? It isn't because you feel like a hero, it's because your glad I'm alright. You'll think about me, maybe, once or twice, but you'll move on. To you, I'll be chance missed, someone never kissed, a frozen memory in time._

Rukia sighed. On her way past, Rukia roundhouse kicked the Kurosaki mailbox. The box teetered wearily on the post. Well, _that_ felt good. Vandalism was something Rukia hadn't a habit of taking part in. In that way, she felt…unpredictable. Unlike Ichigo. Oh no, she knew _exactly_ how he was going to break her heart before even did it.

_Screw predictability!_

_

* * *

For once, I decided to make the love not indredibly one-sided. _

Oh, and "a chance missed, someone never kissed, a frozen memory in time" is part of a song.Tell me if know what it's called. Games? I looooove games. Guessing games are my favorite. Hee hee.

And, as always, I really wish you's review. So review. Please.


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